Journey to the West

Sessions 20 - 25

The party, now officially known as "The Red Blade Outkasts," decides to relax in the aftermath of their conflict with Malorek and Orryn Devonshire. Bara soon meets with a very distracted Master Hillenfield, who is enraptured with the newly uncovered Bregaran Exit ruins in the west. The shocking revelation that ancient Dwarves lived on the island thousands of years prior was only trumped by the fact that Bara could inexplicably read their writings without the use of magic, instantly making her an invaluable asset. Bara ends up accepting a consulting position with the Arcana Academy for an upcoming expedition to the ruins, and secures some laborer positions for Qas and Rayne. Before they leave, Captain Engelson asks them to deliver a personal letter to her old mentor, Denethrin Maelor as they pass through Haven. The party agrees, and they start to set their affairs in order for the months-long trip.
A couple days later, the party links up with the caravan escorting them to the western border of the Union. The party finds the travel dull, and they feel out of place in their company, so when a week of travel finds them entering Haven Forest, the stir crazy adventurers break with the caravan to investigate a plume of unnatural smoke that catches their eyes. Pushing into the forest, they find a burning house, its dead owner, and a set of bloody animal tracks leading away from the house. Following the tracks, they come across dire bear carcass near a terrified bear cub, and when they move to investigate, they are ambushed by a monstrous bulette. The battle is quick but bloody, with the Outkasts being seriously injured before slaying their opponent. While Bara attends their wounds, Rayne rescues the cub, surprising everyone when the orphaned animal imprints on the berserker. The party heads back to the caravan, and informs the caravan master of the events that transpired. The caravan master dispatches guards to help the party harvest the hides of the bulette before once more setting off for Haven. Thankfully the following days are quiet and uneventful, and by the time the group arrives in Haven, the only scars of the battle that remain are Bara and Rayne's bulette rent armor.
Having completed the trek to Haven, the party sets about their business during the day-long planned stay in town. Bara and Rayne hire the local armorer, Galorian Caedelus, to repair their armor at a discount in exchange for the bulette hide. Afterwards, Bara and Qas decide to head to Denethrin Maelor's residence to deliver Captain Engelson's letter, while Rayne trains with her bear cub, which she names "Oskra." Bara and Qas meet up with Denethrin, whose terse attitude does little to encourage them to stay, so they decide to research the Amaelian family instead. They ask around about local rumors or information about the Amaelians, before heading to talk with the mayor, Gordier Mistwalker. Meanwhile, at the caravan, Rayne catches the attention of Heserin Caedelus. Heserin notes Rayne's connection to the bear, and after some conversation about the topic, offers to train her in the first steps in gaining an animal companion. Rayne agrees, heading into the marshlands for the evening with her new tutor while Bara and Qas go to speak with Aerelesis Caedelus, who is amicable to their requests for information about the Amaelians until Bara repeats a rumor about illegitimate children she heard in town, which puts off the former noble. Deciding to call it a day, Bara and Qas head back to the caravan where they stay until it is time to leave the following morning. The caravan gets a late start, but as a result of the delay, the party witnesses Denethrin Maelor dragging a would-be student across town, tossing him to the ground. The young man tries to attack the swordmaster, but is seriously injured in the attempt. Bara heals the surface wounds, but notes that his sword arm has been damaged beyond repair by her skills. With everyone present, the caravan finally leaves for Veradil - the final stop for the caravan before the expedition to the Bregaran Exit begins in earnest.
The journey takes just a few days and, aside from a somewhat awkward encounter between Qas and one of her former clutchmates from the Calass'coris Tribe, it is uneventful. Finally, having spent two weeks on the road, the caravan arrives in Veradil and the Bregaran Exit Expedition Team starts preparing for the real journey out of Union lands. The party takes the time to chat with some locals at The Prancing Corgi, revealing the presence of Ssel’is’is, a representative of the Halis'allah Tribe. Qas and Bara manage to get a private meeting with Ssel'is'is, and the representative agrees to speak with the mayor on their behalf, so long as the party ensures that the expedition respects the land and people of Darkbough Forest, where the ruins lie. Ssel'is'is also takes the time to discuss the Vass'anasss Tribe, who control the lands of the Darkbough, giving Qas and Rayne a quick primer on the leaders of the tribe. The following day, Mayor Horenhau, Ssel'is'is, and Genis Ailer, meet to discuss logistics leaving Veradil, and Ssel'is'is negotiates for a small fleet of ships to transport the expedition to the far shore of Lake Esperia, as well as providing two guides to the group to help establish relations with the local lizardfolk. With everything set, the expedition spends their last evening buying supplies and taking in the hospitality of Veradil. The expedition leaves the following morning, sailing for two days before landing on the far shores of the Darkbough Forest.
The expedition, following the lead of Erik Cove and the two guides provided by Ssel’is’is, head into the forest, which becomes increasingly dark. They decide to use light sources to illuminate their way, but doing so exposes their position to potential predators. Small talk is made between the members as they journey on until Rayne notices Oskra sniffing on a small stone marmot. The expedition takes interest in the item, deciding that it might be the work of a basilisk, and they start proceeding more carefully. Eventually, they spot one of the magical beasts, but before they can tacke action find themselves ambushed from behind by second basilisk. Nearly a third of the expedition is turned to stone during the fight, but fortunately Rayne recalls a story about fresh basilisk blood being used to reverse petrification, and those that were turned to stone are able to be restored to life. Having put the ambush behind them, Erik and Genis decide to push away from the scene of the fight, and make camp once a reasonable distance has been made. When camp is finally set, and watches are posted, the expedition members are able to rest, though most are still very shaken from the day's events.
A pitch black night in the forest brings the expedition a new appreciation for the open sky, and when the sun finally rises, the members of the expedition are anxious to get under way. Teagin Wavewinder supplies a breakfast of rations before the group starts moving again with a sense of urgency tempered by caution for the dangers of the land. Erik organizes the guards into groups - placing Rayne with himself as trailblazers, while Bara and Morgan Greyson take the read guard, leaving Qas with the other lizardfolk guides to protect the main body. After several hours breaking trail, the party hears the sound of running water coming from up ahead. They notify the others, and Erik halts the caravan to discuss the situation with Genis Ailer. They decide to push to the water source and break to refill their water supplies, however, as they approach the river, Rayne spots an enormous anthill. Erik tries to find an alternate path to the water, but opts to have the group push directly to the water, rather than chancing running afoul of other dangers. The expedition moves carefully past the anthill in a single-file line, but something on Aemon Aemonson attracts the ants, and the colony starts streaming out, on the scent of the group's supplies. Bara manages to temporarily stop the swarm with a tanglefoot bag, but ants burst forth from the other hills, and the expedition is quickly overrun, so Erik calls for everyone to try to ford the river by whatever means they can.
Thankfully, despite many close calls, the entire expedition manages to arrive on the far side of the river. As the healers are attending to those who were injured, however, the lookouts notice movement from the wood line. Moments later, a group of a dozen Vass'anasss lizardfolk step out from the forest. One of them, seemingly the leader, remarks in Draconic, "Why is it lately, that whenever we go hunting a shambler, we find a group of foreigners instead?"

Relations

Protagonists

• The Red Blade Outkasts

Allies

• Heserin Caedelus
• Ssel’is’is
• The Bregaran Exit Expedition Team
• The Halis'allah guides, Es'dereth and Ess'heth

Neutrals/Bystanders

• Captain Engelson
• Caravan Master Niklas March
• Galorian Caedelus
• Gordier Mistwalker
• Aerelesis Caedelus
• Kenneth Hallbred
• Mayor Horenhau

Competitors

• The Red Blade Mercenaries

Parent Plot

Making a Name in Coralous

Related Locations

• Darkbough Forest
• Haven
• Veradil